TOKYO — SoftBank Corp., the telecom arm of SoftBank Group, will use high-altitude airships from 2027 to provide telecommunication network coverage to disaster-hit areas, the company announced on Thursday.
Using a 65-meter-long, unmanned airship developed by U.S.-based aerospace startup Sceye, SoftBank will begin providing pre-commercial services in a limited area for select clients by 2026 and move into the scaling-up phase the following year. SoftBank will invest $15 million in Sceye.
